I’m pleased to pass along this sustainability report from last week’s Huron River Day in Ann Arbor. I was there as an informal volunteer, “talking trash” with the fine folks at Zero Waste Washtenaw who were managing the sustainability activities.

Helping get stuff put where it belongs. (Photo courtesy of Noelle.)

A large crowd came to Gallup Park to kayak, play games, eat, and enjoy a perfect summer afternoon. And for the first time at this event, Zero Waste stations were set up to save recyclable and compostable materials from the landfill. And they achieved 86% diversion, an excellent first-year result!

While I’m always happy to see Zero Waste practices in action, the most rewarding part for me was watching Noelle and Angela from Zero Waste Washtenaw educate the volunteers and attendees in what can be recycled and composted. The more people who get involved in sustainability, the more it becomes mainstream, and an expected activity rather than a novelty.

The report is below, showing the breakdown by waste stream as well as details on successes and some lessons learned for future years. Click the image to enlarge it. Enjoy!